Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-11
Wesley Monumental Church.

wesley euCAl ChHECns
Easter was celebrated at the Wesley
Monumental church. The pulpit and
altar were beautifully decorated with
flowers and the services were commemo-
rative OF the resurrection. The pastor,
Rev. A. NJ. Wynn, preached an i'm
presslve Easter sermon on the subject,
"Christ's Resurrection, the Keystone Of
the Christian Temple" rom the text,
And If Christ be not raised your faith is
vain. fe are yetJn your SINS" etc.
But now is Christ risen from the dead"
etc, l. Cor, XIV, 1920
with rejoicing hearts ana grateful
love we greet this bright Easter morning.
Eighteen hundred and fitty-four years
ago to-day was the gladdest day earth had
ever seen, as the day preceding was the
darkest. Earth and nature and all their
forces seem in sympathetic harmony with
the glorious event, as they burst forth in
bud and flower and vernal verdure. 1t
ought always to be glad day, for now
Is Christ risen from the dead The key
stone of our temple of hope and saliva
ton is raised amidst eXultant shouts.
On Chrsts resurrection all hinges-our
faith in the Bible, and It's revela-
tons, tae great redemption plan,
and the TACT that we are not yet
in our slns,' our hopo in Christ,
and therefore not 'miserable,' the pledge
and pattern Of our own glorious resurrec-
ton, and by which we know that our
dead. which are fallen asleep IN Christ.
are not perished.' Tho resurrection OF
Christ Yerihes and demonstrates all the
grand doctrines OF Christianity: proves
and publishes the truth and importance
Of the religion OF the Bible; accredits His
claim to the faith and obedience of all;
removes forever the shame, defeat and
overthrow OF the Cross; proves Christ TO
be Ruler ana Judge; asserts the efficacy
and completeness of ChrisCs great atone
ment, and renders certain our own Tesur-
rection, OF which it is the first fruits.'
st. Paul was intensely conscious Of the
magnitude Of the interest at stake. Fear
not, he said, to meet tho issue boldly.
In the presence OF the cruciixion and its
attending marVels, with all the facts in
mems minds fresh, he makes his grand
argument with mastery skill aud effec.
tiveness, boldly challenging all enemies
OF the Cross to assail IL, If they can, show
ing what must follow if this keystone Of
the Gospel structure is destroyed, viz:
"Chrisps life, death, resurrection and
ascension, al matter Of prophecy, was
swept away If Christ was not raised
according 10 the Scriptures and there
was no prophetic Messiah no histori-
Jesus.
Christ notably and publicly foretold
His own resurrection to friends and foes,
and his enemies understood and tried 10
make the sepulchre secure. If His pre-
dction failed He was an impostor and
his claims false.
"His disciples preached boldly in the
presence OF death risen saviour a. u
fundamental fact, OF whioh Lhey were eye
xuIl 81 81,
they were publicly convicted as false wit
nesses and their whole scheme untrue.
but" asked the preacher, ''did Christ
then rise from the dead? Is the tact GER
tsinlY atLested? That He lived and that
lie died. all believe, all admit, friends
and foes, then and now, That the third
morning the grave was empty all testify.
That He was removed By friends or enc
mics, or that BE did by Divine power rise
from tie dead must one or the other be
true. His friends could not from the
very nature OF the facts have removed
Him. His enemies ~ ould not. Then he
must have risen, as He said. Then, again,
$50 living witnesses saw him alive
alter his resurrection who had known
him intimately and testified to the tact at
the peril OF their lives. The world has
| accepted it as fact ever since, in spite
OF all The efforts of infdels in their as
saults. Then Jesus rose again, assembled
! TO qeaveu, ana will come again.
! The preacher said in Closing, "Let US
t'tel it out, herald 1t to the uttermost
parts of the earth on this glad day. The
angels who came to witness it said to the
weaping, bewildered women, He is not
here, he is risen as he said, 60 quickly
and tell his disciples The risen Lord
said to them, 'ali hail, Do not afraid, 90
tell my brethren Then, friends OF Jesus,
let all this reconcile us TO the Affections
and sorrow and darkness OF earth. Let
us live less in tombs. Let us recollect We
liv e and die in hope or our own resurrec-
ton and heavenly home"